Petrov smiled and raised her eyebrows in delight yet remained quiet.
“You might find this funny now, but the two of you are a pair,” Hawk said. “This won’t end well for either one of you. That much I can promise.”
The plane came to a stop before the engines fired up and then roared down the runway, soaring upward to begin the long flight home.
Hawk couldn’t wait to get back on U.S. soil—and take care of Michaels once and for all.
CHAPTER 38
Washington, D.C.
BLUNT MET THE FIRESTORM TEAM near the hangar along with several brass from the Pentagon and a dozen CIA agents. Hawk escorted Petrov off the plane and handed her over to the personnel anxious to extract information out of her about The Chamber. Hawk told Blunt they’d be fortunate to get more than her name from her. Blunt was savvy enough to know Anatoly, who the team left behind in France with Interpol agents, was the one who would sing like a canary.
After watching Petrov handcuffed in the transport van and driven away, Blunt turned his full attention to the team.
“I’m glad you all made it back unscathed,” Blunt said. “You’re proving to be more effective than I think anyone previously believed, myself included. However, we still have some things we need to discuss. This way.”
He gestured toward a black SUV that had the two back doors open with an agent behind the wheel.
“Who is that guy?” Hawk asked, nodding at the driver and climbing inside.
“You can trust him, Hawk,” Blunt said. “He’s one of the good guys.”
“The list of people I trust these days has shrunk considerably.”
“You’re not the only one,” Alex chimed in.
Once they were all inside, Blunt tapped the driver on the shoulder and the car roared to life before easing forward. In a matter of minutes, they were in stop-and-go traffic on the Beltway.
“Have you been able to keep up with the news?” Blunt asked.
Hawk shrugged. “Bits and pieces, here and there.”
“I’m assuming you heard about the attack at Verge,” Blunt said.
“I saw a piece about it just before we took off in Paris. Did Al Hasib do that?” Hawk asked.
“Karif Fazil, himself,” Blunt said. “Video footage showed him driving the truck toward the towers, but at the last minute he dove out.”
“Coward,” Alex said. “I wish he would’ve really gone through with the job. It’d be one less terrorist to deal with.”
“Agreed,” Blunt said. “However, the ramifications of a better guided vehicle loaded with explosives would’ve been much greater. Fortunately, Verge avoided a massive hemorrhage in its pipeline. It should return to normal within a week.”
“And the market?” Samuels asked.
Blunt pulled out a cigar, clipped the end, and began to chew on it. “It’s been all over the place, though I believe it’s starting to stabilize now. The ultimate plan of The Chamber was to destabilize the market and influence decision makers to join Petrov’s quest to create a one-world currency, but I think it’s safe to say for now that she failed in that regard.”
“Let’s talk about the elephant in the room,” Hawk said.
“Are you referring to President Michaels?” Blunt asked.
“Yeah, he’s coming unhinged,” Alex said. “I can’t believe he was cleared.”
Blunt chuckled. “Politics, dear Alex. Never underestimate the power of American politics to exonerate a criminal—or convict an innocent man.”
“Or woman,” she added.
“Yeah, or woman. Our political system doesn’t discriminate in that regard.”
“He probably has people watching us already, doesn’t he?” Samuels asked.
Blunt nodded. “That’s very likely. So, for now, let’s lay low. I secured an apartment for the three of you near Georgetown. It’s got three access points, so you can get out in a hurry if necessary.”
“And three entry points for whoever wants to crash the place,” Samuels said.
“We can take care of that,” Hawk said.
“The place is fully stocked, and you won’t have to go out unless you really want to, which I’d advise against for a few days at least. Just be careful, okay? We still have much to accomplish.”
* * *
AFTER TWO DAYS, cabin fever set in for Hawk. He’d spent his downtime watching more than his fair share of Bollywood movies, while Samuels tore through several classic novels Blunt had left behind. Alex analyzed data she’d collected at various point on their last trip and tried to make sense of all the connections. But Hawk was itching to move again.
“I’m gonna go see Petrov,” Hawk said.
“Are you out of your mind?” Samuels asked. “That’s the last thing Blunt would want us to do.”
“There are some things gnawing at me that I need to know,” Hawk said. “I’ll be back soon.”
Alex and Samuels both pleaded with Hawk to stay put, but he ignored their arguments. Petrov had a way of connecting with Karif Fazil. Hawk hoped that perhaps she’d have a moment of regret and want to atone for her transgressions with one final altruistic gesture. It could be a small one—the one of giving up how she contacted Fazil—but it’d be a game changer.
When Hawk arrived at the secret prison facility, he flashed his credentials to a guard who eyed him carefully.
“I don’t see you on the clearance list,” the guard said.
“I got this order directly from Commander Frank Stone at the Pentagon,” Hawk said, tapping the desk for emphasis in an attempt to sell his bluff. “If you’d like to call Stone to confirm, be my guest.”
The guard sighed. “Fine. Just sign here.” He shoved a clipboard in front of Hawk, who scribbled his name illegibly on the attached paper and then gave it back to the guard. With proper authorization, the guard radioed back to another officer that Hawk was coming their way and wanted to speak with Petrov.
Hawk went through a series of metal detectors and pat downs before he arrived at the door in front of the meeting room. The door buzzed open, and Petrov was already inside, hands cuffed and
